Asa (Ace) W. Adkins, Jr. Obituary (1916

Asa Asa W. Adkins was born on October 22, 1916 in Grffithsville, W. Va. He was the second of four siblings born to Asa and Louise Adkins. His father was a country doctor in the true sense of the word, often visiting his patients by horseback. Later the family moved to Kentucky where his Dad was the company doctor at Wolf Pit in the Appalachian coal area. Here Ace picked up one of the loves of his life, radio communication. He learned Morse code and how to operate the telegraph key from the operator of the company"s rail head. This love led to his life long career in electronic communication. The family later moved to Morehead, Kentucky where Ace graduated from Breckenridge Nigh School and then on to the University of Kentucky. He worked part time as an engineer at the local radio station. This was followed by longer stints at larger stations in Louisville and Michigan. Another love of his life was flying. He"d Wanted to be a pilot from an early age and joined the Air Force in 1940. World War II began shortly after he completed his training, and Ace became an early ferry pilot. He flew about everything. The crew would pick up a flight manual with every new plane at the factory. These planes would be transported around the world and then the crew would return for another one. He flew everything from trainers to P-38"s, P-51"s, B"24"s and B-17"s. On one ferry mission in a P-38 he had mechanical problems and had to land on a narrow road at Buffalo, Wyoming. After repair he took off again from the roadway and completed the delivery. He served 12 years in the Air force and reached the rank of Lt. Colonel, and he wore the wings of a senior pilot. After his military career, he returned to the communications field where he worked for Art Collins of Collins Radio. He was instrumental in setting up the Strategic Air Command"s world-wide communications system. About this time he became re-acquainted with a former friend, Maxine McKee, and they were wed in 1972 in Dayton, Ohio. Starting a new life together, they moved to Miami, Florida, where he headed up an antenna specialist firm. Next stop was Houston, Texas, where he worked in communications for Houston Metro. From there it was on to Boerne, Texas and retirement. Here he made many great friends in the Amateur Radio Society, the Whataburger Breakfast Club, and the Quiet Birdman Association. Ace was the sole care giver to his beloved Maxine (Mac) in the last years of here life. He dedicated himself to her care until her death in 1994. He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant sister, and brother Crawford. Surviving him are his sister Mary Wallace of Lexington, Kentucky, his stepdaughter and son-in-law Sondy and David Hunt of Boerne, their children Kathy Wieland, Susan Seguin, and Cindy Nordell, and their children. Also surviving are nephews John Adkins of Pittsburgh, PA, Dan Adkins and Joseph Wallace both of Lexington, KY, and niece Mary Lou Apple of Lexington. Funeral arrangements are pending through the Vaughn Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers a donation could be made to the First United Methodist Church of Boerne, where Ace was a long time member of the Genesis Sunday School Class.